clutch bearing problem vauxhall corsa '94 1.4?

i was told that the clutch bearing was going on my car from a mate at work. i know diddly squat about cars so not completely sure what he means...?
when ticking over, a noise will start, like a quiet whining. when the clutch is in the noise gets a little louder. when i raise the clutch pedal with my foot from underneath, the noise will go away..?
also, my fuel seems to run out pretty quickly. when i accelerate, the needle falls quickly towards the reserve, but when i am stood still it will slowly creep up again. im not particularly driving everywhere, probably 6 miles a day to work and back i dont think there is a leak, just wondering if my clutch bearing problem has anything to do with that? thanks in advance
nick